Kurama trudged up the stairs leading to his small first floor apartment tiredly, longing for a hot cup of tea to soothe his throat and his bed to soothe his headache and aching muscles. Working two jobs was taking it's toll on him and he wasn't feeling well, but he would try not to admit that in front of Hiei. After all, Kurama could take care of himself, no reason for the youkai to worry. He finally reached the door and unlocked it, sighing as he walked in and shut it gently behind him. Flipping on a lightswitch, he first assured that Hiei was gone on a short visit to the Makai as he'd promised this morning. Kurama sighed again and began coughing harshly, which caused more pain to flare up in the back of his throat. He groaned quietly and plopped down on to the couch. He pulled off his shoes and leaned his head back against the pillows. 'What happened to me?' he thought. He had felt fine the past few days, only a little tired. How could he get so sick so fast? He tried to will himself to get up, but didn't feel he had the energy. How was he going to make it through the rest of the week? He shivered slightly and wrapped his jacket more tightly around himself. He just needed some hot soup and some medicine, then he would be fine. He forced himself to his feet, then became so dizzy he was forced to sit back down immediately. 'Okay, I guess all I can do is sleep.' he thought, feeling helpless. He layed down on his side, praying Hiei wouldn't come home before he had a chance to get better. The fire demon had been riding Kurama to quit one of his jobs for weeks, warning him he was pushing himself too much, but the fox hadn't listened, insisting he would be fine, he could handle it, and he didn't want Hiei to see that he had been right. Kurama yawned widely and fell asleep quickly, hoping he could just sleep it off and be fine.
Hiei leapt into the air, swinging his katana with grace and razor sharp precision. There was no need for fighting now that Enki had taken over, but he still enjoyed a good sparring match, especially against Mukuro. She had called him back to take care of some things for her, and simply because she enjoyed his company. Now the demon lord in question swooped down, trying to catch Hiei off guard, but he was too fast for her. Becoming a blur, he used his lighting speed to grasp her in a firm headlock with the tip of his sword at her throat. "Fine, you win this one Hiei." she smirked as he released her and they both landed gently on the ground.
"Hn. You seem distracted." He observed. "Maybe a bit, but that's nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment Hiei. You seem different too, maybe like someone who's in love?" She teased, causing him to whip around and face her, an irritated expression on his face.
"Don't be ridiculous. Love is just a waste of time." Although he said these words convincingly enough, the slight blush in his cheeks betrayed him. However, as Mukuro didn't want to be chopped up today she opted not to mention this. "Ah Hiei, you do care for your fox, and there's no hiding that. And it's good that you have him, and he you. Maybe he'll soften you up a bit."
"Hn."
"Well you can feel free to get back to him anytime now, I think we've had enough fun for one day, I have some more things to attend to anyway." "Fine, see you." With that Hiei vanished from sight, eager to get back to his fox, though he'd never admit it even to himself.
Several hours later he silently opened the window to Kurama's bedroom and climbed in. It was past midnight and he was sure the fox would be sleeping, so he was suprised to find his bed empty, still made up from the previous morning. He flitted down the narrow hallway into the living room and found the red head curled up on the sofa, fast asleep. Hiei smiled and silently crept over to him, considering pouncing on him to wake him up, then he got a good look at him.
Kurama's cheeks were flushed and his forehead looked damp with sweat. Despite this, he was shivering slightly, and his breathing seemed a bit labored. Hiei reached his hand out to feel of his fox's head, and sure enough, his skin felt much hotter than normal. Great, he's sick, Hiei thought to himself. He decided to wake his lover up and gently shook his shoulder.
"Wake up fox," Hiei said softly, and the red head slowly began to stir, groaning as he opened his green eyes.
"Hiei, what are you doing here?" He mumbled hoarsely. Talking sent him into a coughing fit, which left him clutching at his head, burying his face in the pillow.
"Hn. I was bored. And you're sick" Hiei accused. Kurama shook his head frantically, causing another sharp jab of pain to shoot through his brain, and that made it clear to him that trying to lie to his little fire demon was out.
"Well it's just a cold Hiei, it's nothing out of the ordinary." Kurama tried to reason.
"Baka," Hiei growled, "what have I told you about overexerting yourself? This ningen body of yours can't handle what Yoko can." Hiei finished his little rant and again placed a hand firmly on the fox's forehead. "Your really warm fox, and you look tired." The youkai observed, a hint of concern hidden behind the anger in his large crimson eyes. At that, Kurama shook his head again, more slowly this time.
"No Hiei, I'll be fine, you needn't worry over me, I'm perfectly capable of managing by myself. It's not like I've never had a cold before." He tried to stand but became quite dizzy, the room becoming a blur. He felt Hiei's strong arms steady him and gently guide him back to the couch. Kurama closed his eyes and coughed weakly a few times,
then looked up at his lover apologetically. "I'm sorry Hiei, I just stood a bit too quickly is all." "Hn. Quit trying to act like your tough, baka kitsune. You know damn well you can't fool me, so just accept it." Kurama was about to protest, he once more started coughing harshly. Hiei smirked, sure that the fox would accept defeat, and much to his satisfaction Kurama layed down and sighed. "You're right Hiei, I'm too sick to do anything, perhaps you better stay here." Kurama looked up, eyes wide with innocence. The fire deamon rolled his own and scoffed.
"Of course I'll stay, where else would I go?" Hiei stated. "You need to go to bed fox, and tomorrow you're going to one of those nignen healers. And don't argue with me or I'll kill you." Hiei made this last statement as casually as if he was mentioning the weather, causing Kurama to laugh, which in turn sent him into another coughing fit.
When he was finished, he groaned once more.
"Fine Hiei, I won't protest you looking after me. I do feel horrid." Kurama finally admitted, closing his eyes. "Of course you won't fox, no one ever defy's me." Then in a rare show of affection, Hiei gently pushed his fox's red hair out of his face, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand in the process. "Get some rest fox. I'll be right here when you wake up." He said softly. Kurama opened his eyes and smiled fondly up at his firefly,
then closed them and drifted off to sleep.
Hiei studied his beautiful, peaceful face for a moment, then gently lifted him off the couch and carried him back to his room, where he layed him on his bed,covering him with a soft blanket and laying down beside him, close by in case he needed anything. He resumed studying Kurama's face, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it. The fox whined uneasily and Hiei unthinkingly reached out and began petting his long silky hair, and the red head relaxed at once, sighing contentedly. Hiei couldn't help but smile. He never thought he would feel happiness, but staring into Kurama's face, and knowing this beautiful creature was his, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by it.
Hiei leapt into the air, swinging his katana with grace and razor sharp precision. There was no need for fighting now that Enki had taken over, but he still enjoyed a good sparring match, especially against Mukuro. She had called him back to take care of some things for her, and simply because she enjoyed his company. Now the demon lord in question swooped down, trying to catch Hiei off guard, but he was too fast for her. Becoming a blur, he used his lighting speed to grasp her in a firm headlock with the tip of his sword at her throat. "Fine, you win this one Hiei." she smirked as he released her and they both landed gently on the ground.
"Hn. You seem distracted." He observed. "Maybe a bit, but that's nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment Hiei. You seem different too, maybe like someone who's in love?" She teased, causing him to whip around and face her, an irritated expression on his face.
"Don't be ridiculous. Love is just a waste of time." Although he said these words convincingly enough, the slight blush in his cheeks betrayed him. However, as Mukuro didn't want to be chopped up today she opted not to mention this. "Ah Hiei, you do care for your fox, and there's no hiding that. And it's good that you have him, and he you. Maybe he'll soften you up a bit."
"Hn."
"Well you can feel free to get back to him anytime now, I think we've had enough fun for one day, I have some more things to attend to anyway." "Fine, see you." With that Hiei vanished from sight, eager to get back to his fox, though he'd never admit it even to himself.
Several hours later he silently opened the window to Kurama's bedroom and climbed in. It was past midnight and he was sure the fox would be sleeping, so he was suprised to find his bed empty, still made up from the previous morning. He flitted down the narrow hallway into the living room and found the red head curled up on the sofa, fast asleep. Hiei smiled and silently crept over to him, considering pouncing on him to wake him up, then he got a good look at him.
Kurama's cheeks were flushed and his forehead looked damp with sweat. Despite this, he was shivering slightly, and his breathing seemed a bit labored. Hiei reached his hand out to feel of his fox's head, and sure enough, his skin felt much hotter than normal. Great, he's sick, Hiei thought to himself. He decided to wake his lover up and gently shook his shoulder.
"Wake up fox," Hiei said softly, and the red head slowly began to stir, groaning as he opened his green eyes.
"Hiei, what are you doing here?" He mumbled hoarsely. Talking sent him into a coughing fit, which left him clutching at his head, burying his face in the pillow.
"Hn. I was bored. And you're sick" Hiei accused. Kurama shook his head frantically, causing another sharp jab of pain to shoot through his brain, and that made it clear to him that trying to lie to his little fire demon was out.
"Well it's just a cold Hiei, it's nothing out of the ordinary." Kurama tried to reason.
"Baka," Hiei growled, "what have I told you about overexerting yourself? This ningen body of yours can't handle what Yoko can." Hiei finished his little rant and again placed a hand firmly on the fox's forehead. "Your really warm fox, and you look tired." The youkai observed, a hint of concern hidden behind the anger in his large crimson eyes. At that, Kurama shook his head again, more slowly this time.
"No Hiei, I'll be fine, you needn't worry over me, I'm perfectly capable of managing by myself. It's not like I've never had a cold before." He tried to stand but became quite dizzy, the room becoming a blur. He felt Hiei's strong arms steady him and gently guide him back to the couch. Kurama closed his eyes and coughed weakly a few times,
then looked up at his lover apologetically. "I'm sorry Hiei, I just stood a bit too quickly is all." "Hn. Quit trying to act like your tough, baka kitsune. You know damn well you can't fool me, so just accept it." Kurama was about to protest, he once more started coughing harshly. Hiei smirked, sure that the fox would accept defeat, and much to his satisfaction Kurama layed down and sighed. "You're right Hiei, I'm too sick to do anything, perhaps you better stay here." Kurama looked up, eyes wide with innocence. The fire deamon rolled his own and scoffed.
"Of course I'll stay, where else would I go?" Hiei stated. "You need to go to bed fox, and tomorrow you're going to one of those nignen healers. And don't argue with me or I'll kill you." Hiei made this last statement as casually as if he was mentioning the weather, causing Kurama to laugh, which in turn sent him into another coughing fit.
When he was finished, he groaned once more.
"Fine Hiei, I won't protest you looking after me. I do feel horrid." Kurama finally admitted, closing his eyes. "Of course you won't fox, no one ever defy's me." Then in a rare show of affection, Hiei gently pushed his fox's red hair out of his face, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand in the process. "Get some rest fox. I'll be right here when you wake up." He said softly. Kurama opened his eyes and smiled fondly up at his firefly,
then closed them and drifted off to sleep.
Hiei studied his beautiful, peaceful face for a moment, then gently lifted him off the couch and carried him back to his room, where he layed him on his bed,covering him with a soft blanket and laying down beside him, close by in case he needed anything. He resumed studying Kurama's face, mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it. The fox whined uneasily and Hiei unthinkingly reached out and began petting his long silky hair, and the red head relaxed at once, sighing contentedly. Hiei couldn't help but smile. He never thought he would feel happiness, but staring into Kurama's face, and knowing this beautiful creature was his, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by it.